Manette Baillie, a resident of Benhall Green, has become the oldest person in Britain to skydive as she celebrated her 102nd birthday by jumping from a plane at an altitude of over 2,100 meters (6,900 feet) at Beccles Airfield.
With an assistant strapped to her harness, she leaped into the sky, experiencing both excitement and fear. “I must admit I shut my eyes very firmly,” she later said.Baillie hopes to show people in their 80s and 90s that they can continue to pursue their passions and dreams.
This skydive was not her first adventure; on her 100th birthday, she drove a Ferrari around the Silverstone motor racing circuit at a speed of 210 kilometers per hour (130 miles per hour). Inspired by a friend’s 85-year-old father who had skydived, Baillie was determined to do the same.
For Baillie, the record is secondary to the message she wants to leave behind– that life, with all its excitement and unpredictability, continues to offer opportunities for growth and adventure, regardless of age.
Baillie’s skydive also served as a fundraiser for several charities close to her heart. She received support from admirers, including a special message from the Prince of Wales, a former pilot.
“I haven’t got long to live and I can’t do much more fundraising, so I wanted to make it a rip-roaring success”, she said.
Baillie’s achievement surpasses the previous record held by Verdun Hayes, who had been Britain’s oldest parachutist since May 2017 at 101 years and 38 days.
With an assistant strapped to her harness, she leaped into the sky, experiencing both excitement and fear. “I must admit I shut my eyes very firmly,” she later said.Baillie hopes to show people in their 80s and 90s that they can continue to pursue their passions and dreams.
This skydive was not her first adventure; on her 100th birthday, she drove a Ferrari around the Silverstone motor racing circuit at a speed of 210 kilometers per hour (130 miles per hour). Inspired by a friend’s 85-year-old father who had skydived, Baillie was determined to do the same.
For Baillie, the record is secondary to the message she wants to leave behind– that life, with all its excitement and unpredictability, continues to offer opportunities for growth and adventure, regardless of age.
Baillie’s skydive also served as a fundraiser for several charities close to her heart. She received support from admirers, including a special message from the Prince of Wales, a former pilot.
“I haven’t got long to live and I can’t do much more fundraising, so I wanted to make it a rip-roaring success”, she said.
Baillie’s achievement surpasses the previous record held by Verdun Hayes, who had been Britain’s oldest parachutist since May 2017 at 101 years and 38 days.